The Gillilands left warm and sunny Southern California to live in the much cooler climate of Lithuania! Join us here as we share our adventures with you! We are a family of 6 who are dedicated to spreading the good news that Jesus Christ came to earth, died for all of us and that if we believe in Him, we will be saved from eternal separation from Him.

Monday, March 17, 2008

Transitions 4

The traffic lights here are interesting. At first I felt like they were ,"duh lights" (you know, duh, do we need this much information) and this is why:

When you approach an intersection and the light is green you of course travel through, but as soon as the green light begins to turn into what we call a "stale green" light (one that has been green for some time) the yellow light comes on and the green and yellow light blink 3 times before changing to red as a warning that the green light will soon change to red, so prepare to stop. Many people stop when the light begins blinking and don't try to hurry through as most of us would (and I sometimes do myself). For those who are waiting at the red light, there is also the yellow light that appears with red and flashes 3 times to let the waiters know that soon it will turn green so they should prepare to go. We have observed many people driving through the intersection as soon as the blinking of red and yellow begin, but have found out it is not legal to do so. When I first observed this way of the traffic light, I scoffed at how "caudling" it was," Do we really need to know just when the light is going to change, my goodness." But now that I have been driving here for some time, I have really come to appreciate that the lights prepare you well for when they will change and there is no guess work at all involved in the process. At first I thought,"They would do well to adopt the American way of doing it!", but now I am thinking quite the opposite. It seems like the way Lithuanians do it is sensible and wish America would check it out:)

The rules and regulations of the road have also been very interesting and fun to learn. There are not many speed signs posted so I am often at the mercy of other drivers for what the correct speed limit is. Which is scary because they are all going different speeds. So it is not a very good beromitor for me.

I have found out many new and interesting things as I have driven with Lithuanian drivers. I always use driving people around as a time to ask questions about driving laws. I have found that anytime you are on a road driving through a village (town) the speed limit is always 50 kilometers (like 30 mph, ugh). There are no consitent posted speed limits, this is just something you 'know'. When you leave a village there will be a sign with the village name on it and a slash mark through it indicating you are leaving this village and if you are not entering another one right away then you can go 90 to 100 Kilometers. Which sounds fast, but is still only around 50 mph. You just have to relax and know you will get there eventually.

One of the funniest and most rediculous things I have encountered while driving as far as speed limits go is on our way back home from Kliapeda. There is a small stretch, not even a kilometer (which is half a mile) where you can go from 60 to 80 and the right back to 60 again. I laugh every time we pass it, but I make sure to speed up to get my 80 in:)

Another interesting difference here is the permenate metal green arrow attached to stop lights indicating that you can turn right at all times. I really like this one! Plus , we have found that the hazard lights here don't mean there is a broken down car, but that the car in question isn't parked and planning to stay for long so don't get inpatient with where they are parked (which half the time is in the middle of the road blocking traffic), and that brings us to the next topic of driving......

Cars stopped in the middle of the road to drop off a passenger or pick one up is a really irritating habit we see quite frequently here. This seems to be a convenience of the driver with no consideration to anyone else. When someone wants to be dropped off, you just pull over randomly to drop them off and make everyone else wait. It is really a road hazard and often causes some big traffic jams, but again we have to take a deep breath and not get too upset about it since it is happening all the time, all over town and is quite common.

And finally our favorite! You pretty much can park anywhere and every which way. We spend so much time in California lining our cars up just so and keeping them off the curbs. Back and forth, back and forth to get it into the parking spot nice and straight. Here, you just line your car up however the person before you has parked. If the lines are straight and you are the first one there and you choose to park diagnal, then that is the way the parking will go. If your car is too big and the street is narrow, you just pop a set of your wheels up on the curbside. We always get a big laugh out of the parking lots outside the malls around here. It just looks like sheer K-oss!

One of the things we have learned since being here is that the common tragedy that kills more missionaries all over the world is car accidents. So of course we buckle up when we drive and are always driving defensively. Most people in this country still do not see the importance of seat belts, so we are a bit strange to a lot of people around here:)

We could go on and on about the strange driving habits of this country, but we will let it rest with: Don't ever assume that the oncoming car that is passing another is going to get over in time to miss hitting you....

1 comment:

AH! I found you guys! I was just wondering what was up with all of you, and decided to rack you down. Oh, BTW, this is Gavin Morris from PFB. I'd love to hear from you guys. I read all your blogs. Send me an email sometime. Here's my address: dmametfan@yahoo.com You can also still get ahold of me on myspace at myspace.com/gavinmorris. It was really cool seeing all the pictures of you guys. I hope everything is going well, and hope to hear from you soon.

Sophi's Links

Hevenlee's poor Chin

We made it to on the plane, we did!

My friend Kim and me

A bitter sweet good bye at the airport before the fun began!

Egg dying

Using the traditional Lithunian method of wrapping the eggs with small leaves in gauze and boiling them in water with red onion skins to get this fine brown and yellow color. Then a rubbing them with a fine coat of olive oil for a nice shine.

Egg Dying

Boaz got creative....

Egg Dying

A closer look....Sonshyne did this one with her mom and it turned our looking almost like ones you see in the States.

Egg Dying

A closer look....

Easter

The girls were so pleased to find their baskets full of fun things this morning!

Easter

Ezra always enjoys Easter morning. Isn't his hair getting so long!

Easter

Boaz isn't too old for an Easter basket either!

Easter

The girls are looking so cute in their new Easter dresses that Grandpa and Grandma sent.

Easter

What a beautiful group of kids eh?

Getting to see Santa

These are all the kids whose parents work at LCC, both Lithuanian and Missionaries

Getting to see Santa

Santa reallly makes you work for your candy here in Lithuania. And he doesn't seem to be intereseted in visiting with each child individually. But it is reallly a good time and the kids just loved it.

Getting to see Santa

Since Santa doesn't sit for photos, Hevenlee went to stand beside Santa for our annual "Photo with Santa"

A Cake For Jesus's Birthday

Each year, the day before Christmas, we bake a cake for Jesus's birhday. The kids do all the decorating.

A Cake For Jesus's Birthday

Of course the frosting had to move to the more fun places other than the cake. Boaz was decorated by our friend Jonna with a mustache and a beard!

A Cake For Jesus's Birthday

Boaz decided that his mommy needed a great big kiss with his new man mustach and beard!

A Cake For Jesus's Birthday

Oh the pride of completion!

A Cake For Jesus's Birthday

This is our finished product. We tested it out on our company the next day and many people ate a whole piece! So our cake was finally edible. It has taken several year for this to happen:) It was a beautiful cake. The whole entire thing was made from scratch down to the cream cheese frosting that was DELICIOUS!!!!

Christmas Day

We had a group of students from LCC come and hang out with us for the day. It was wonderful to hang out with them and get to know them a little better!

The Donut Making Tradition Continues!

We usually use buscuits from a package, but they don't have those here, so we went with a recipe from scratch. We weren't sure they would turn out at all but they turned out better than we've ever had before. We will do this again for sure!

The Donut Making Tradition Continues!

We wasted no time in recruiting our basketball players from Senigal to shake powdered sugar on the finished donuts!

The Donut Making Tradition Continues!

Ahhh! The final delicious product! sugar! sugar! sugar! And not one was thrown away!

On our way to get our tree!

This road goes to our house. It just felt a little but like Little House On the Prairie:)

We Found It!

This tree is the right one for us!

Bringing it home

It took some doing not to drag it in the mud on the way home, but we did it.

It is finished

The proud decorating crew!

Our Stuff is here!!!

It has arrived! I have never heard so many cheers and screems as we unpacked boxes!

Old Communist Housing

Oh, and by the way, park on the sidewalk if you can't find a place:)

Old Communist Housing

Pockets of this kind of housing is all over the country. Most apartments have been totally renovated and are modern and can go for more than a 100,000 USD

Kretinga Flea Market

It seems that no matter what the weather, this place is open for business

Kretinga Flea Market

I go to this market every saturday to get our veggies, even though we can buy them at the store, it is much more fun to come to the flea market

Kretinga Flea Market

Random things people sell at the market

Kretinga Flea Market

this woman yelled at a man for honking at her to use the parking space, evidently she was not done talking to her friend. I couldn't help but to laugh out loud and take a photo to share with you.

LCC 15 year celebration

More yummy international food

LCC 15 year celebration

Many country's cooked and shared thier traditional foods.

LCC 15 year Celebration

International Celebration

LCC International University

Just part of the campus

LCC Community Day

Hot Dog peeling

LCC Community Day

Hot dogs come all connected and you have to peel them all, fun fun fun

LCC Community Day

And more......cucumbers!

LCC Community Day

Cucumbers, Cucumbers, Cucumbers!

Hot Dogs Lithuanian Style

Cucumbers go with everyting around here

Interesting Storybook

Some kind of scary wolf story eh?

Interesting Storybook

Let's just sit right back and loosen up those pants why don't you:)

Interesting Storybook!

Okay, so the mother lamb cuts the sucker open and out pops her babies. It was so nice of her to sew him up as well. Who wouldn't want to read this to their kids!

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!

Boaz says,"It is raining today because God is sad that we are going to school and won't have all this free time to worship Him."

First Day Of School

At the School. It is called, " Rainbow School."

First Day Of School

Big Opening Ceremony. Everyone gathers around with flowers in hand!

TEACHER'S CAPTURED!

There was a big show of capturing the teachers and the students had to beg for them to be released. (notice the GUN in the pirates wasteband, he waved it around at several students)

1st graders are welcomed with pomp and circumstance. A very special group.

Flowers are given to each teacher by all the kids in their class. It is a very big deal!

Sonshyne's Kindergarden Class

There are 6 kids(7 if you count mom). One other girl if the parents can get her to stay. It is such a good class.

Hevenlee's first day of School

It is tradition that you bring a flower to the teacher. She took it back 2 days later.

Sonshyne on the only jungle gym:)

Does this remind you of someone Grandma?

The Rainbow School

This would be the play ground. Severly lacking in equitment like balls etc.

Long Day At School?

Sonshyne just could not stay awake, even for her chicken nuggets!

Pooped out little girl.....

Hevenlee at her preschool at nap time.

Baptism

What great weather for a Baptism!!!!! lol

5 people got Baptized!

Check out those waves. Look at the beach photos I posted earlier to make a comparison!

Pastor Saul Karosas

Feelin a bit chilly and said, " This was our last baptism of the summer." Okay!

After Baptism Party at Our House!

The first place got cancelled due to the inclimate weather.

Good Use of our BBQ

So much meat to BBQ that is was time to use the top to get the job done!

Our packed out kitchen!

We had about 75 people come over! Good thing we clean on Saturday:)

Kurgistan (sp?) Melon

The missionary from the church came back from Kurgiston and brought this GIANT melon. It was super tasty!

BREAKFAST!

I went early to the farmer's market. I bought eggs, potatoes and cinnomin buns so we had a fresh breakfast! mmmmm

Fresh Veggies!

They just looked so colorful on my counter!

Veggies into Vegetable soup.

This is the day I made the soup right but did everyting else wrong! Isn't it great color!

The Beach at the Baltic Sea

Soooo many people go to the beach to take advantage of the great weather!

On the Beach at the Baltic Sea!

It was a bit stormy and we got a rainbow out of it!

Outside the hospital grounds

Kids get to see thier dad for the first time since he got sick.

Garrett in the Hospital

4 to a room

FIRE FUN

The boys enjoy making a fire in the outdoor BBQ

Modified Bath Tub for the Girls!

We will be getting a real bathtub soon we hope!

Sonshyne's Birthday Part Ends with a BANG!!!

Diet Coke and a roll of mentos.....thanks Wood family for the idea!

First Day in our house and Having a Party!

Feels like home!!!!

Sonshyne and Eric's 5th Birthday Party

It was a Princess/Pirate Party

Hevenlee and Nike "Washing" Dishes

Feeling right at home:)

Child Size Sink You Say............

I Say [Bi-day]

We Made It! Now for our 3 hour drive to Klaipeda:)

By the way, these people are NOT mad:)

The Layover In Ireland is Not what we expected.

Garrett was sick with the flu so we mostly stayed in this area for several hours.

After Months Of Preparation, We are Finally Leaving!

When we put our hands up as we take off, we hear chuckling all around us:)

Take Off!

We are ready to start our trip!

Our Trip to Lithuania

YES! Mom is super stoked that there are TV's on every seat!

Cliff Jumpin on the American River

The boys were so brave to try something new! The water was ice cold!

My Garden

Peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers oh my!

My Garden in Southern California

Sunflowers, Cosmos and Vincas oh my!

Yosemite

Ezra and Sonshyne

Yosemite

On the Valley floor going for a swim!

Yosemite!

we are at the top of the Valley!

MORRO ROCK in the Sierras

this is the rock we were out on top of!

We made it!

Ezra and Sophi on top of Morro Rock

Gillilands

Giant Redwoods. This is General Sherman, the largest living tree in the world.